Cosiest UK station (trivia)

[John Griffiths]

The bleakest station thread has generated quite a response, so how about your views on the cosiest station (or whatever term implying the opposite of bleak takes your fancy)?

For me, a contender has to be Kings Lynn, largely because of its enjoyable shop-cum-newsagent-cum-cafe-cum-bar.

 

[trainmania100]

Lewes is lovely with 2 cafes and several waiting rooms.

 

[cjw714]

Knaresborough is an obvious candidate but I also have a soft spot for Evesham - there's nothing special about the station but it feels well looked after and like how stations in small country towns used to be before they became unstaffed and lost many of their facilities. By contrast, Great Malvern would once have been a candidate but I was disappointed when I visited last year to find the cafe closed and the ticket office unattended.

 

[sad1e]

I've always liked the Northern Met line stations station to be honest.

Hopping off a met line train at Amersham really gives you that cosy feeling of being dropped off into a quaint countryside village and is unique as it's on a direct tube train from the city as Sir Edward Watkin himself probably intended with his whole Metroland project.
Amersham is also quite well kept and has friendly staff from my experiences.

I've always wondered what the Met line North of Aylesbury was like back in the days of steam , from my visit to Quainton Road heritage centre they must have Evoked a much greater sense of Rural Quaintness.

Alas I was born too late to take a Verney Junction Express.

(Can anyone here recall memories of the Metropolitan north of Aylesbury?)

 

[xotGD]

Hebden Bridge has a lot of charming character.

The cafe at Carnforth offers plenty of cosiness, albeit the Leeds bound platform is a bit bleak.

 

[Stathern Jc]

A place I don't often get to now but always look forward to having a spare half hour to enjoy the cafe on the station is Inverurie.

 

[ChrisT]

Hebden Bridge has a lot of charming character.

Agreed. And here's a photo to prove it; taken on 2nd September this year, 802212 forms the 14.54 Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle.

 

[RiverDon]

A place I don't often get to now but always look forward to having a spare half hour to enjoy the cafe on the station is Inverurie.

Inverurie station is amazing with the cafe (great food and coffee!) and the old restored wooden waiting room. Always kept immaculately clean and warm too. Definitely worthy of this thread in my opinion.

 

[sad1e]

Agreed. And here's a photo to prove it; taken on 2nd September this year, 802212 forms the 14.54 Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle.


View attachment 193450

Looks almost like a Heritage railway station with all of that BR signage.

 

[fwsmVor]

It probably doesn't rank with the whole world but Farnborough Main has that great café-cum-waiting-room on pl1.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Morpeth (southbound side) is nice and cosy during ‘opening hours’ at any rate.

 

[Spandau]

Appleby has a very nice waiting room; Lockerbie has a friendly feel too.

 

[Russel]

I've always found Penrith quite a nice station to wait at.

If we can extend to cover preserved lines, I remember a few years ago visiting the Severn Valley Railway during a period of quite heavy snow, I got off at Arley and found the waiting room had a roaring coal fire and a small cafe that sold some of the best bread pudding I've every had! Quite cosy all round!

 

[bramling]

The bleakest station thread has generated quite a response, so how about your views on the cosiest station (or whatever term implying the opposite of bleak takes your fancy)?

For me, a contender has to be Kings Lynn, largely because of its enjoyable shop-cum-newsagent-cum-cafe-cum-bar.

Probably the winner will be on a preserved railway.

Ones which spring to mind are Battle and Hebden Bridge.

 

[Megafuss]

Everybody goes for the viaduct, but Ribblehead station is lovely. The cafe/shop on the southbound is cute (and warm) and I love the little shelter on the Carlisle platform

 

[Amlag]

Okehampton not only has a proper railway station buffet but with a Cosy waiting room with 1930’s original and reproduction seating and table with magazines and a vase of real flowers on the window cill.

The new £15m nearby unstaffed Okehampton Interchange, when it finally opens hopeful next May, could well be a contender for the Bleakest Station category, especially when the ‘Dartmoor’ weather hits it !

 

[Russel]

Everybody goes for the viaduct, but Ribblehead station is lovely. The cafe/shop on the southbound is cute (and warm) and I love the little shelter on the Carlisle platform

Agreed about the Carlisle bound platform shelter, just after Covid me and my son took a ride up to Ribblehed, it was November so dark by 4pm, we ended up crammed into the small shelter with about 6 other people, heater on, pouring rain outside, so atmospheric!

The Station Inn is also worth a visit, when Northern cancel the service!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I would nominate Hereford - they have lots of partially sighted folks due to some sort of institution / college I gather and the staff are commedably good in serving them. Pleasant waiting rooms also , often with fresh flowers in vases.

Or they did in the not so far past.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Kemble is delightful. Beautiful old buildings, a cafe (albeit open mornings only), and a lovely little garden adjacent to what was the platform for Cirencester.

 

[ian1944]

Last time I was there, Settle had a period feel and a cafe.

 

[Gathursty]

You can't best the blast or warmth from the radiator in the waiting room at Ribblehead's Northbound platform.

I'd also say Kemble too for the same reasons as W-on-Sea.

 

[Western Sunset]

Probably in a minority of one, but I do find Westbury quite cosy.

 

[D6130]

Hebden Bridge has a lot of charming character.

The cafe at Carnforth offers plenty of cosiness, albeit the Leeds bound platform is a bit bleak.

....not to mention the micropub!

 

[fgwrich]

Until the awful new bridge was built, St Erth would have been high on my list.

 

[airantraigh]

I really enjoy Stirling station in regards to this, waiting rooms always nice and warm, and station full of character, and can usually get a nice wee coffee. Could only really be improved by a cheaper shop than Whsmith

 

[Requeststop]

Until the awful new bridge was built, St Erth would have been high on my list.

I am slightly biased but St Erth is still comfortable in spite of the new footbridge and lifts but there is not much we can do about that now.
One thing I'm not enjoying at St Erth is the frequency that the automatic doors keep opening as people outside wander around and activate the doors.
The cafe, when open is a delight.

 

[duffield]

The Stalybridge Buffet Bar pub is pretty cosy.

Edit: Added photo of Stalybridge Buffet Bar, below:

 

[stadler]

I agree that Lewes is a strong contender. Such a lovely station to wait at. They have multiple warm indoor heated waiting rooms all across the station. They have two cafes including a nice good quality independent cafe. Really well kept with nice flowers and plants growing on the platforms. It is a very nice place to wait.

 

[Pnerick81]

Only ever departed from poynton in Cheshire once and that was around 10 years ago . But the old fashioned booking office has/had a real cosy feel about it . You could sit and wait in what I would describe as someone’s study . With bookcases full of books and a fireplace coffe tables and chairs . Lot of nice railway pictures on the wall .

 

[Iskra]

By the coal fire in the West Riding Refreshment rooms, Dewsbury station.

Alternatively, the small, heated waiting room at Crianlarich felt cosy in comparison to the snow and -13 degrees outside while I was waiting for the sleeper…